End of an Era

Over the last decade, I built and ran a virus protection system for nearly 20,000 servers and desktops on a global scale for my company. Unfortunately, I just got to the point where no matter how perfect or expansive I made the system, no one cared. And that’s motivationally crippling.

So, I resigned.

Coincidentally, it was also Mr. T’s birthday.

My resignation has been a pretty big shock to everyone, and in two days I’ve gotten two unprompted recommendations, two job offers in foreign countries, and a lot of people worldwide who seem to genuinely think it’s a loss for the company.

And the people here are the reason that I’m going to miss this place.

My favorite quotes in the last couple of days have been:

“You’ll be surprised at how much time doing nothing takes up.”

“Who am I going to race to work now?”

“They should offer you anything you want to get you to stay.”

“Don’t do this to me.”

“Congratulations. Do you have a job for me?”

“You don’t have a full time job lined up? You’re a nut. You did it kamakaze style, and I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“You’re like Jerry Macguire. Inside everyone’s giving you the slow clap, but no one is going with you. You’re just going to walk out of here with your goldfish.”

I think you’d like Lake Michigan…you can barely see the opposite shore on a really, really clear day so it’s almost like an ocean and Chicago has good music, good food, cool peeps (considering about 1/2 your readership is from here, I’d expect you to know that), and a lot of nerds!

Regardless…no job means you have no excuse not to visit…finances be damned!

Your genes reqire you to take time off. It’s inevitable. It happens to all pool memebers.
Great Grand Father: Injured at sea. Retired young. Probably holds the record.
Grandfather: The Great Depression. Had the best attitude. “Don’t kill yourself!”

Father: Sold blood. Easier than work. Pay was better. Liked vacation so much, heeded fathers advice, took off a year or so at a time.

Uncle: Has lots of time off. Earnings below the poverty level. Lives life at first class level. Carried fathers advice, “Always Be good to yourself”, to an art level.

Mother and Sister: There on the same path. They just don’t know it.
Uncle by marriage: Retired at forty eight due to urging of wife (gene carrier). Contageous.